Blizzard warning still on: Here comes the wind

Dec. 20, 2012

Brian French shovels his driveway Thursday, December 20, 2012 during a winter storm in Kaukauna, Wis. The National Weather Service is forecasting nine to 12 inches of snow in the Fox Cities before the storm passes. / Wm. Glasheen/The Post-Crescent

BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT...

* SNOW WILL COME TO AN END LATER TONIGHT. THE SNOW MAY STILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING.

* NORTHERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED BY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE STRONG WINDS WILL PRODUCE EXTENSIVE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...WITH WHITEOUT CONDITIONS POSSIBLE AT TIMES.

* AN ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATION OF 2 TO 4 INCHES IS EXPECTED FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...BRINGING A STORM TOTAL OF 8 TO 14 INCHES.

* THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW...STRONG WINDS...AND LOW VISIBILITIES WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS. THE HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL LIKELY CAUSE DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER LINES...RESULTING IN SOME POWER OUTAGES. PERSONS WITH HEART PROBLEMS SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO SHOVEL THE DENSE...MOISTURE-LADEN SNOW.

A MAJOR WINTER STORM CONTINUED TO AFFECT WISCONSIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON. AT 500 PM...SNOW CONTINUED TO FALL ACROSS ALMOST THE ENTIRE AREA. BUT SOME LOCATIONS ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE FROM STURGEON BAY SOUTHWARD CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE EITHER RAIN OR A RAIN SNOW MIX.

SOME SUBTLE CHANGES ARE EXPECTED DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. AS THE CENTER OF THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM GENERATING THE SNOW PASSES ACROSS SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN AND INTO WESTERN LOWER MICHIGAN...WINDS WILL TURN MORE NORTHERLY. THAT WILL REDUCE THE WARMING INFLUENCE OF LAKE MICHIGAN...AND ALLOW LAKESHORE AREAS TO TRANSITION TO ALL SNOW. HOWEVER...SINCE THE BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION HAS ALREADY FALLEN...STORM TOTALS WILL END UP SHARPLY LOWER AT THE LAKESHORE WHEN COMPARED WITH AREAS EVEN 5 TO 10 MILES INLAND.

TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL A DEGREE OR TWO ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA AS WELL. THAT WILL MAKE THE SNOW MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BLOWING AND DRIFTING IN THE STRONG NORTH WINDS. ALTHOUGH MANY TREATED ROADWAYS ACROSS EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN WERE SLUSHY OR EVEN WET DURING THE MID-AFTERNOON...CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE DURING THE EVENING.

THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION DURING THE EVENING SHOULD BE FOCUSED FROM THE FOX VALLEY...THROUGH GREEN BAY...TO DOOR COUNTY AND EAST TO THE LAKESHORE. AREAS FARTHER WEST WILL GRADUALLY SEE THE SNOW START TO DIMINISH.

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Heavy snow is only one important ingredient for a blizzard. Strong wind is another. And that's what's in store for the Fox Cities this evening.

The National Weather Service says a blizzard warning remains in effect until midnight. The snow is expected to still be heavy at times, with another 2 to 4 inches falling. That would bring the total to as high as 14 inches.

Northerly winds of 25 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, will cause extensive blowing and drifting snow with whiteout conditions possible.

The heavy, wet snow and powerful winds likely will cause further damage to power lines and trees.

And the condition of the roads, many of which were slushy or just wet after treatment by highway crews this afternoon, will deteriorate.